Gas Turbine Anti-Ice Device Thermal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anti-ice formation devices for gas turbine engines do not provide adequate thermal isolation to prevent ice formation and accumulation on the inlet, which can affect engine performance by altering axial clearances due to differential thermal growth between rotor blade tips and the shroud.
Innovation Solution
An anti-ice formation device comprising a flow body, a mount structure, and spaced-apart supports that surrounds the compressor inlet, with a flow cavity and discharge flow passages, is used to receive compressed air and circulate it around the inlet to prevent ice formation without impacting axial clearances, utilizing the heat from the compressed air to maintain optimal thermal conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing anti-ice formation devices are used to prevent ice formation on the inlet, then ice accumulation is reduced, but adequate thermal isolation is not provided leading to differential thermal growth affecting axial clearances
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-ice device is divided into distinct functional segments: a flow body for receiving compressed air, a mount structure for positioning, and multiple spaced-apart supports for distribution. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the flow body provides thermal isolation while the supports distribute thermal loads, preventing differential thermal growth that would affect axial clearances.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow body acts as an intermediary thermal barrier between the compressed air source and the compressor inlet. It distributes the thermal energy uniformly across the inlet area, preventing localized thermal growth that would cause axial clearance variations. The mount structure serves as another intermediary, mechanically coupling the device to the inlet while maintaining positional stability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If compressed air is circulated around the inlet to prevent ice formation, then ice accumulation is prevented, but thermal growth may occur affecting axial clearances between rotor blade tips and shroud
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies thermal protection locally at the compressor inlet where ice formation occurs, rather than heating the entire engine. The flow body distributes compressed air through multiple discharge flow passages to create localized thermal zones exactly where needed - at the inlet surface - preventing ice accumulation without causing excessive overall thermal growth that would affect axial clearances.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses partial action by applying thermal protection only to the specific area of the inlet prone to ice formation, rather than uniformly heating all engine components. The multiple spaced-apart supports and discharge passages provide distributed but localized thermal management, preventing ice where needed while minimizing unnecessary thermal exposure that would cause harmful thermal growth and axial clearance changes.
3Manufacturing precision
If thermal isolation is increased to prevent differential thermal growth, then axial clearance stability is improved, but ice prevention capability may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges two previously separate functions into a single integrated structure: ice prevention and thermal isolation for clearance stability. The flow body simultaneously provides the thermal barrier needed for axial clearance stability and the compressed air distribution needed for ice prevention. The multiple supports and discharge passages work together to achieve both thermal isolation and active ice protection, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively prevents ice formation and accumulation on the gas turbine engine inlet, maintaining optimal axial clearances and minimizing the impact of thermal growth on engine performance by using the heat from compressed air to maintain stable temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
The inlet port is adapted to receive a flow of compressed air discharged from a gas turbine engine compressor
Implementation Method 2
the flow body is configured to surround at least a portion of the compressor inlet... the inlet port extends between the flow body inner and outer surfaces and is adapted to receive a flow of compressed air
Implementation Method 3
prevents, or at least substantially prevents, ice formation and accumulation on a gas turbine engine inlet
Data Source
AI summary
An anti-ice formation device for a gas turbine engine is configured to be mounted within an inlet duct of the engine, and adjacent the gas turbine engine compressor inlet. The device is configured to selectively receive a flow of compressed air that is discharged from the compressor. Because the compressed air is relatively hot, the anti-ice formation device temperature increases to a temperature sufficient to prevent ice accumulation and formation in the engine inlet duct. The anti-ice formation device is also configured such that heat is not transferred to the compressor inlet housing. As a result, the anti-ice formation device does not cause impeller clearance variations, which would adversely affect engine performance.